Ditch scott



(N0 Model.)

W. M. SCOTT & T. BAKER. BRBEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

No. 264,772. Patented Sept. 19, 1882.

x R x NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM M. SCOTT, OF BIRMINGHAM, AND THOMAS BAKER, OF ASTON, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, COUNTY OF \VAIHVIOK, ENGLAND; SAID BAKER ASSIGNOR TO SAID SCOTT.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,772, dated September 19, 1882,

Application filed May 18. 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, IVILLIAM hIIDDLE- DI'ICH SCOTT, ot' thefirm of NV. and C. Scott & Son, ofBirmingham, in the county of arwick,

England, gun-manufacturers, and THOMAS BA- KER,ofAston, nearBirmingham,aforesaid,gunaction maker, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in certain kinds of Breech- 13 Loading Small-Arms, (for which we have received Letters Patent in Great Britain No. 617, dated 8th February, 1882,) of which the following is a specification.

Ourinvention relates to breech-loadingsniall- 15 arms having internal or concealed hammers, and has for its object to prevent the corrosion of the lock mechanism by the gases produced by the detonation ot' the percussion-cap.

Our said invention consists of the construction, hereinafter described, of the face of the break-off, whereby a means of ready escape is provided for the gases produced by the deto-- nation of the percussion-cap. In small-arms and cartridges as ordinarily constructed the said gases have no means of escape except between the striker and the tubular guide in which it works, and in taking this course they come into contact with and corrode the lock mechanism.

In constructing according to our invention a breechloading small-arm having internal hammers, we make in the face of the break-off an annular depression immediately surrounding the hole through which the striker is projected to discharge the gun. \Ve also make one or more grooves or channels in the face of the break-oh, thesaid grooves or channels opening at their inner ends into the said annular depression, their outer ends opening into the atmosphere. The head of the cartridge-case may also be provided with a series of grooves or channels opening at their inner ends into the small chamber in which the percussion-cap is situated, their outer ends opening at the 5 edge of the head. By means of the annular depression in the face of the break-off and the grooves or channels in the break-0t? and head of the cartridge a free passage for the escape Patented in England February 8, 1882, No. 617.

of the gases produced by the detonation of the percussion-cap is provided.

Instead of the grooves in the face of the break-off and in the head of the cartridge-case, holes or covered grooves may be drilled or made immediately below the face of the breakoff and below the surface of the cartridgecase, the said holes opening into the annular depression of the break-oft and the percussioncap chamber in the manner described with respectto grooves. We prefer, however, open grooves, as first explained.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, and Fig. 2 partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, a portion of the breech end of an internal hammer dropdown gun, together with a cartridge constructed according to our invention. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the face of the breakot't'of the gun, and Figs. 4 and 5 represent a modification of the same. Fig. 6 represents in side elevation, and Fig. 7 in end elevation, the cartridge detached from the gun.

a is the break-ottot' the gun, against which the face of the barrels b shuts down. The gasescape channels or passages in the face of the break-off (t are best seen in the end elevation, Fig. 3. The said gas-escape channels or passages consist of the annular depression 0, surrounding the hole d, through which the striker is projected to discharge the gun, the said hole (1 opening at its back into thechamber in which the internal hammers and cooking mechanism are situated. Opening at its inner end into the annular depression 0 is a straight groove or channel, 0, the said channel 0 passing across the break otf and opening at the edge of the break-oil. Instead of the single straight channel 0, two or more radial channels may be used.

1' is the cartridge, in the face of the metallic head of which the gas-escape passages or channels are made. They consist of the radial passages or channels g, opening at their inner ends into the small chamber It, in which the percussion-cap is situated, their outer ends opening at the edge of the cartridge-head, as will be understood by an examination of the 5 end elevation, Fig. 7.

instead of making open channels or passages is in the face of the break-off, covered channels or holes may be made-that is to say, a passage or channel may be driiied from the edge of the break-oifc'into the annular depression aim the face of the break-off, as illustrated in Figs. it and 5, where the covered channels or holes are marked '70. The head of the cartridge may also be provided with covered passages or holesfin'stead of the open passages or channels represented in the drawings; and instead of of straight passages or channels, curved passages or grooves may be employed. We believe, however, that straight grooves or passages are best.

When the gun is discharged the gases produced by the explosion of the percussion-caps readily escape by the passages described and represented in the face of the break-oft and in the head of the cartridge to the edge of the break-off, instead of between the strikers and the holes or guides in which they work, as usual. The corrosion of the lock mechanism is thereby etfectuall y prevented.

Small fire-arms with concealed hammers made according to our invention may be used with ordinary cartridges, and cartridges made according to our invention may be used with small fire-arms having break-offs with plain or ungrooved; faces.

\Vhen our grooved-headed cartridges are used with fire-arms having plain break-ofi's the gas-escape passages which are provid- 5 ed in, the head of the cartridge-casecause i the gases generated at the percussion-cap chambers to rapidly escape from the said capchambers through the said passages and to be diffused between the face of the break-off and the face of the barrels, and from thence the said gases escape into the atmosphere.

e are aware that heretofore means have been devised for preventing the gases of explosion penetrating the lock mechanism of the gun, such .as providing an annular space around the firing-pin or concealed hammer for conducting oh" such gases; but the present 111- vention differs materially from such devices, and has the advantage over them of greater simplicity in construction and efliciency 1n operation.

Welay no specificclaim herein to the grooved cartridge.

Having now described the nature of our invention and the manner in which the same is I to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our invention 1. A breech-loading fire-arm of the character described, having a grooved break-01f t'or ditfusing the gases generated by the explosion of the percussion-cap, substantially as de- 1 scribed.

WILLIAM MIDDLEDITOII SCOTT. THOMAS BAKER.

\Vitnesses RICHARD SKERRETT, THOMAS I. HEMMING. 

